Tassadar's Cleanse
by DazedShadow
Summary: This is a tale of the secret weapon the Protoss hold, Tassadar's Cleanse, to destroy the Zerg. It is told in short firsthand accounts of different basic units in the Starcraft universe. Part 1 - A lone medic is in a dire situation after a failed attack: Trapped in a cave with an ultralisk clawing its way in.
1. Part 1 - MEDIC 1912

RADIO TRANSMISSION: **MEDIC #1912**

DECODING… RECEIVING…

_Hello? This is my voice to text dictator. Hopefully this is working… I'm in a cave with an ultralisk at my doorstep! _

She licked her parched lips as a kaiser blade scraped the ground in front of her. She was cornered in a black cave with the entrance only wide enough for the ultralisk to fit its sharp blade through. The deadly kaiser blade is a long bone-like tusk that protrudes from the back of an ultralisk.

She reflected how this mission led to this. She wiped her sweaty face which caused her drawn mole on her upper cheek to smear. Every medic had a mole on the right of their face, this was used as a robotic form of control to disregard any individualism during fighting. Or worse, free thought.

Their mission was simple, infiltrate the Protoss base and access… something. She wasn't even sure what. It could have been a weapon or a person. Her only job was to apply anesthetic and use a laser to cauterized leaking wounds on marines. And if anesthetic ran out, that wouldn't stop the cauterizing.

Their attacking battalion was made up of fifty marines, ten siege tanks, ten goliaths, and ten medics. They were attacking a Protoss colony when a group of Zerg used an enfilade tactic to expose their left flank. With coordination linked from the Overmind, the hydras spewed their poisonous spines at the marines. These daggers ripped their suit and pierced their skin. A final painful wail would sound before they exploded into bloody meat piles. The ultralisks decimated the goliaths, their blades slashed the exoskeletons with ease. The pilots entered death in silence as their machines exploded into a fiery ball.

There was little the Medic could do. She tried to close the deep lacerated flesh on the marine's chest, but his body blew into piles of mangled flesh as the poison worked its dark magic. Stunned, she now realized that she was the last of the Terran force. The attacking Zerg now concentrated on the Protoss. The Protoss defense cannons launched white energy balls at the brutish swarm.

The Medic brushed the marine's crimson ribcage from her suit and ran. A lone ultralisk, with its fowl face full of visible teeth that looked like an unzipped coat, spotted her. His powerful legs lunged his body in motion toward her.

She ran over barren ground that eventually turned into a vertical sheer of blackened rock half a mile high. It was full of stretch marks from years of shifting tectonic plates. Her body shook as the creature lumbered to her. She focused her rhythmic breathing — inhale fresh oxygen, exhale the waste. She checked behind, the ultralisk was gaining ground. She had to find cover. She was able to locate a small opening at the base of the canyon and had crawled into it.

The ultralisk's breath smelled of decayed meat. These once peaceful creatures were taken over by the Overmind and through genetic manipulation, forced into their evil plan of galactic conquest. She tried to calm her mind and picture her mother, but she couldn't remember what she looked like. She was starting to think she didn't even have a mother, but you need a mother and a father to be human, right? She heard talk that minds were cleaned of memories at the barracks. But when every one has a wiped mind, what's the truth?

Now that she thought about it, normally she wouldn't have fled from a battle, she would have accepted her fate of death. Her machine must have faulted and not deterred all the thoughts it should have. She knew she was suppose to be expendable.

The blade stopped. Black holes of eyes lowered and peered in at her. Those deep dark pitiless pupils sending information to the Overmind. She screamed at it. It growled in response, a deep rumble echoed throughout the cave and in her head. She covered her ears. She pushed a white button by her helmet —

_Please, someone…_

She released the button. The kaiser blade reappeared, it was now inches from her foot. Only a matter of time before it dug into her flesh and would drag her out. Her body to be used to supply energy for this beast. Formed by energy to be returned to energy.

The beast wailed, not a cry of war but of pain. Its open mouth landed in front of the cave, bloody saliva dripped and formed a moist puddle. The medic was in shock and surprise… After a moment she kicked the ultralisk to ensure it was dead. She slid down to exit her entrapment…

**Continue on to chapter 2.  
**

**Endnote**: A story and/or author follow would be greatly appreciated! Thank you for reading my work!


	2. Part 2 - Ultralisk 1798

BIOLOGICAL ORGANISM: **ULTRALISK #1798**

DECRYPTING… ANALYZING…

The Overmind. Where is the Overmind? I can't feel it anymore. Now my loyalty is torn between our Queen and Cerebrates. Our Queen speaks with greatest volume, her voice a twist of angelic and authority. Their influence dictates me to split open this meek medic in a cave before me. A weak and frail organism a human is. My kaiser blades make easy work of them.

It started when I bursted from an egg. I was on a barren planet with large plateaus. The sky was tinged in dark reds and oranges. My mind was set on one message that told me to attack a series of golden structures in the distance. Their white glow reached the underbellies of black clouds above them. A group of hydras bounced before me, and simple-minded zerglings ran on all fours racing like a dog after a thrown treat. There were no Overlords to command us. Our Queen must have felt this mission of grand importance for her to take direct control, or our swarm was facing a dire predicament in the form of shortages in Overlords.

Our battle cry was in the form of stampeding pounds that kicked up copper colored dust. Our trail of footprints were like that of a migrating herd. As our target grew, we noticed a small band of Terran also heading to this city. Our grouped eyes reported back to our biological feed, and a sudden change in orders — destroy this group. The voice felt different, but we obliged to its hasty alteration.

I love to attack humans. Their skin ruptures with ease and their dark blood leaves patterns on my silver blades. I feel a sense of productivity as I kill for our swarm. Their bullets can hurt but my thick shell deflects most. My diamond-shaped scales overlap in perfect form to create a hard carapace. I am the greatest genetically enhanced specimen in the universe. Although, like everything I have a weaknesses. One that won't be exploited.

I heard a marine yell, "CONCENTRATE FIRE ON THE BIG ONE!" I feel honored to get their forceless attention. I used my right five foot long blade to slice through the front marine's helmet. His wail of pain sounded to me like a relaxing chirp of crickets on a summer night. His body exploded into crimson flesh and white bone matter. The deep cuts on his face exposed a bleached cranium underneath.

Their twelve-foot goliath walkers moved to the front of their cracking defensive line. The goliath's auto cannons twisted and long muzzle flashes extended from them. My scales helped shield most of their fire, but one penetrated my exposed underbelly. It hurt. I shifted my power from the marines to these walkers. I roared and angrily used my blades on the plexiglass housing the single pilot. Cracks grew on the thin glass and two vigorous swipes later the frail protection was gone. I ravaged the pilot and his control panel. He reached for a button just as my blade dug into his skull. The machine detonated into a fiery ball that lifted upwards. The force did little against my armor.

The hydras were spraying at the last of the surviving marines. Their spitting spikes caused the marines to erupt into painful eruptions. The medics could do little as they followed in sequence of turning to bloody bursts. Our swarm was victorious and continued toward our original target. I then spotted a lone medic retreating into the barren landscape. Before I could do anything, my legs took control and bolted after her.

I could see her panic. She dove into a small cave with about a six foot opening. This irritated me. In a rage, I clawed and eagerly chipped away at the loose rock. I bent my head and inspected the hole… and I saw her. Fearful tears fell down her face. She knew the end was near. After burning all my energy to chase her, I would ensure to enjoy her as a meal. Humans were chewy, not the best food source, but on this planet, I couldn't be picky.

I felt a pain in my abdomen. It quickly turned to a scorching sensation that radiated throughout my body. I looked to see a bright blade sticking into my exposed soft flesh… A flicker of a dark templar. How could I let this happen? I felt the gushing blood exiting my body. My back legs lost feeling. I tried to attack with my kaiser blade, but I was too weak. It was easier to just close my eyes and sleep. The perception of reality had disappeared… replaced by black…

Then…

I bursted from an egg in a lush jungle. Reborn again to serve the swarm.

**Continue on to chapter 3.**

****Endnote**: A story and/or author follow would be greatly appreciated! Thank you for reading my work!**


	3. Part 3 - Dark Templar

CEREBRAL BEING: **DARK TEMPLAR #?**

TELEPATHIC REPORT… TRANSLATING…

_WE ARE UNDER ATTACK. WE ARE UNDER ATTACK._

The alarm rang in my head. I looked out my round window to a clear view of Terran infantry and mechs attacking. A swarm tailed close behind. I could see a couple dragoons stationed behind our line of photon cannons.

I had been warped to this Nexus two weeks ago and I still had little indication of what was happening here. They had stressed great importance that Terran medics could not fall into any Zerg hands. After the loss of Auir, our race needed an upper hand, and we found one in a lone medic that was part of something known as the UED. We still knew little of this faction. All of this was speculation as these were passing rumors I pieced together with the ample free time I had these previous weeks.

I raced down the golden staircase and pass a glowing pylon. I thought about our rich history of fighting within our race. Recently, that had all been placed aside. We combined forces to take on this new threat. To find that we were not a unique creation was demoralizing, but we quickly turned to becoming responsible protectors of the universe. Our new mission to stop these space parasites known as Zerg.

I passed raised photon cannons ready to shoot bursts of energy on the Terran or Zerg victor. I witnessed an ultralisk swipe at a goliath causing it to erupt into a fireball. This was unfolding into a Terran annihilation. The swarm finished killing the remaining marines and turned their attack toward our cannons. I found it curious the absence of overlords sailing above their raiding party, but a lack of a detector is a beneficial advantage for me.

It's then that I noticed an ultralisk running away from battle. I knew from studies on the swarm that the hive can't show cowardice in war. I realized it was chasing a medic. I turned my concealment cloak on and ran. My cloak doesn't last forever, I had to move quickly. As I leapt over the zerglings, I made sure to use my warp blade to swipe one's head cleanly off. It danced in the air as blood flung from the wound.

The ultralisk stopped at the bottom of a huge canyon wall. This wall stretched into massive ravine.

The ultralisk was digging at an opening, the medic must have been inside. When I reached the massive brute, I spoke my prayer and lunged my weapon into the exposed side, right under its thick shell. An easy kill. It dropped and its mouth fell open.

I lingered for a moment, the medic crawled out. I surveyed her equipment as she walked past me. I disengaged my cloak, "_Terran?_"

She turned and looked at me, surprise on her countenance at hearing my voice speak in her head. I calmly stated, "_Don't allow panic to cloud, answer with thoughts and words._"

She adjusted her racing mind to formal speech, "_You saved me from that beast?_" She readjusted her stance and swallowed. "_Are you going to kill me?_"

"_Tah, would my defenses have been lowered so easily?_"

She wiped moisture from her forehead. I found that a perplexing reaction.

"_Are you UED?_" I asked.

"_Yes._"

"_Then your life clearly has worth._" I retorted.

She licked her dry lips. "_The Neurostim? I destroyed it. Accidentally…_"

That simply confirmed my suspicion of what the Terran possess. "_That was… heedless._"

I gripped her shoulder and pushed her toward our base. During our journey, her feelings remained that of a stoic person. She was good at keeping her thoughts collected. We reached the slaughtered Zerg force at the base of the cannons. Random limbs and pieces of bone from the monsters brought a delighted assessment.

We approached a zealot. He nodded and grasped the medic's other shoulder. We guided her up the stairs into a wide chamber. The floor was crystal tile and the walls bright gold. There were no doors, only long hallways that led to various rooms. The zealot sent a message to her, "_a fellow humanoid, you're my first to see up close._"

I sensed the medic's mind bounce between thoughts. "_I already told this templar, I don't have a neuro—_"

The zealot raised his blade to her throat and commanded, "_—then you will replicate one._"

Her emotions shifted to regret, "_—and the UED suspected that you already held a weapon._"

I thought about how she distrusted herself. That was wrong of her to doubt.

**Continue on to chapter 4.**

****Endnote**: A story and/or author follow would be greatly appreciated! Thank you for reading my work!**


	4. Part 4 - Medic 1912

RADIO TRANSMISSION: MEDIC #1912

DECODING… RECEIVING…

The neurostim. That's what this was all about. Even with the stress of being a prisoner and foreign objects to awe at around her, she couldn't shake one thing: her PSI index. They were briefly taught PSI during training and were bluntly told that none of them had any.

When she crawled out of the cave the fearsome ultralisk had been killed by a Protoss, they had a clear conversation through telepathy. She couldn't believe how strong the signals were. On the way back to the city, funny how he was helping her job of entering the Nexus, thoughts about her past were where her mind was at.

She had come from a distant colony. The UED had found them and gathered them into their military wing. What was the name of her planet? It bothered her she couldn't remember anything.

The Nexus was a giant pyramid with a teal glowing diamond hovering at the top. Short staircases were on all four sides that went inside the structure.

When they arrived inside the Nexus, a zealot approached. The zealot's golden armor clung to his thin frame. His face looked squished in his helmet. His walk was a quick with small steps like a scuttling ant.

At that moment, she realized something very helpful, she found to have an ability to have a deeper level of thinking. Essentially a second level to hide from other mind readers. She could trick them into thinking they were seeing all of her thoughts. How powerful was she?

When the zealot raised his blade to her throat, she had no fear. The psionic energy felt warm on her neck. She sensed in him that he could not afford to kill her. And why was this dark templar thinking how she shouldn't doubt herself? What did he know?

The zealot dropped the act and disengaged his blade. He pushed her forward through a door and down twisted stairs. The walls turned to black rock, they must have gone underground. She remembered something, at the barracks she had sometimes received others' thoughts. She assumed it was a form of an afterglow from training. The afterglow coming from a machine that prepared you for combat using previous combatants' experiences: how to fight, how to enfilade and use tactical maneuvers, how to repair a severed limb.

"_Your mind has been quiet for a while._" The dark templar finally sent to her. She wondered why he was so passive toward this zealot.

She wiped her mind and responded, "_I'm trying to remember the neurostim._"

The staircase ended at an entry archway that opened to a massive cavern. The distant edges of the cave were lit by bright pylons that were randomly placed in the wide area. The pylons sent beams of light into holes in the ceiling. The holes had a bunch of tiny hexagons catching the light and throwing it back out like torches. Overlapping circles of light kept the wide area luminous. The floor was made of flowing blue wisps that moved rapidly and created a solid surface to walk on.

"_This is impressive tech._"

The zealot smugly responded, "_We are the firstborn harbingers of the Universe, our power way beyond any other lesser beings._"

They approached a table where a probe had electricity flowing into a tiny silver device. The device had a blue crystal in its center and two vertical pointed claws on either side. She had seen this before, it was a psi-emitter. The probe made a series of beeps.

The dark templar turned to the zealot, "_I must agree with the probe, this already proves Zerg attraction._"

"_But are we absolute? Another wave to report would satisfy our executor. And we might have a neurostem ready. Consider the outcome of reporting success for both…_" The zealot said.

This was their secret weapon? All they were doing was combining two pieces of our technology and calling it their weapon.

The zealot confidently added, "_Our spirits soar and our fleet will crush anything to come._"

They continued to another glossy white table, a datapad sat on it. Its blue glare infused with a white pylon that was lit nearby. The zealot pushed her in front of the table, "Y_our hour is now at hand._"

The medic gave a quizzical look, "_And where do I sleep?_"

The dark templar stepped in a thought, "_A room upstairs. We won't be blind to reason._" He sent her the directions via a telepathic message. He held a gaze on her for more than she found comfortable. Did he know?

A line of probes appeared from a doorway on the right. They placed a blue crystal and a cube with a swirling green substance inside on the desk. She sighed, "_What use is this?_"

"_Minerals and gas._" The zealot affirmed.

She hesitated. "_That helps with construction, but the neurostem uses sugar, water, salt, and a chemical that attacks the neurons at certain parts of the brain._" She picked up a mineral and inspected it. "_This might have salt in it._" She threw it back on the desk.

"_What's the chemical?_" The dark templar asked.

"_That's the problem, I don't know. I only held one stim._"

The zealot brushed dust from his blade. "_You're making this more complicated than it needs to be. Did they find your feeble mind that incompetent?_"

She rolled her eyes. "_I'm starting to see where the name zealot comes from._" She tapped at random keys on the datapad. It beeped, stating: "unknown entry error."

"_Please, this is leading us astray from our journey,_" the dark templar said.

"_Well, maybe she needs time to rest and clear her head._" The zealot said sympathetically. He then nodded to the probe. "_Shock._" The probe sent a thick blue bolt into the medic. A shot of numbness spread from her leg up to her head. The strong tingle sensation morphed to pain. Suddenly a rush of thoughts poured into her head. The last thing she saw was the hard floor closing in…

She woke up in a single queen-size bed. A golden cloth hung in front of a window. Outside light that pierced the curtain morphed to a vivid gold angled like stalks of wheat.

A silhouette appeared in the sky.

Her mind was blank. She leaned her head back and then checked under the sheet. Her leg had a large black mark and her clothes were different. No doubt they now had the empty neurostem, not a lot good it would do them.

She walked to the door with a swirled patterned handle. She pushed then tried pulling it. Locked, did she think it wouldn't be? That zealot was thick but not stupid.

A loud thought blasted inside her —

_WE ARE UNDER ATTACK. WE ARE UNDER ATTACK._

A flood of jumbled fearful emotions came in right after it.

**TO BE CONTINUED….**

****Endnote**: A story and/or author follow would be greatly appreciated! Thank you for reading my work!**


	5. Part 5 - Dark Templar

CEREBRAL BEING: DARK TEMPLAR #?

TELEPATHIC REPORT… TRANSLATING…

The Zealot entered my chamber in the midst of my concentration. My chamber consisted of a black curtain that blocked intruding light. With my eyes closed in a daze, red or white light can be an annoyance. Exhaling I asked, "_What?_"

"_The neurostim is known._" He stated.

My thoughts vanished. It was an approaching mass of some sorts. Perhaps an attack but without proper sight, I didn't want to raise a false alarm.

"_Really?_" I asked.

"_Yes. The container had minute residue on the inside. Probes are at valiant work as we speak._"

"_Very well. Then the medic is dead I presume?_"

The Zealot furrowed his brow. "_No?_"

The Dark Templar set the crystal down. "_Then I will take care of it._"

"_How pleasant, I didn't expect ruthless action to be your response._" The zealot said.

I moved a crystal in my hand. It's white light illuminated my reptile-like skin. A scar in my palm from long ago. I picked at my thoughts.

"_She's a sacrifice for the greater good. If the Terran are informed of what we possess, a fight for power could ensue. They are hardly cautious with nukes, what makes you think they can be trusted with this? Our assurance in the eradication of the Zerg is all that matters. It's not that I don't pity this choice, it's a choice for the greater good._"

The Zealot smiled. "_With the psi emitter and the neurostim the Zerg will fall. With a name proposed, Tassandar's Cleanse. In honor of his sacrifice which will not be in vain._"

I closed my eyes. "_For Auir._"

I stood up. I didn't like to kill innocent. Guilt was already a nagging consequence. This weapon was too important to have any interference. I shouldn't doubt this…

WE ARE UNDER ATTACK. WE ARE UNDER ATTACK.

The Zealot and I shared a look then bolted up the wide staircase. We stepped outside to a flood of Guardians attacking from the sky. They spat acidic blobs onto our beautiful golden structures. Blue fire rose from the damaged Nexus.

BOOMS of structures erupting. Hundreds or Zerglings and Hydros were pouring from the sacs of overlords hovering above our base. The Zerg outnumbered our Dragoons four to one. The Dragoons returned fired. Their white energy balls caused Zerg to explode in blood, but they were quickly replaced by five units. I could sense this losing battle.

I realized getting air superiority was the key to gaining ground in this fight. "_The hanger!_" I snapped at the Zealot.

A pack of Zerglings attacked from the right flank. They reached their claws at me. I swiped my blade cleanly through them. Their two halves falling in opposite directions. Other Protoss warriors were joining the battle. One was shredded by poisonous spikes of the hydras. Steam rose from his burning wounds.

"_What of the medic?_" The Zealot asked.

"_I felt her presence,_" I replied.

We entered into the Stargate, a mammoth building More overlords were moving to the sky above us. The interior of the Stargate was untouched. Some warped in Corsairs sat waiting for pilots. I could see the medic beyond a group of Corsairs. Her telepathy was strong as she turned to me. It was at that moment I realized, she was a ghost. My feelings of her destruction were now visible to her as if worn on my forehead.

She wavered between fleets of combating Zerg and Protoss. I rushed toward her leaving behind the worthless Zealot. She felt my anger and knew I was the greatest threat to her in this room. It was at this point she turned off our connection.

Three Hydras stepped into my path. Their jaws hung loose, their yellow teeth and vile breath. I cloaked and stuck my blade into them. Pieces of flesh and blood coated the silver tile floor. The medic was closing on a Corsair. I couldn't let her escape.

I turned around to the zealot to tell him to throw his blade as a second attempt at stopping her, but he was dead. Deep gashes were on his back and dark blood pooled from under him. The group of Zerglings were positioning to attack me now, but I couldn't freeze.

Guardians blocked the sun and sent their green spud into the Stargate now. Some accidentally killing portions of the swarm. Our base was down to frail beams and partially glowing pylons. Hopefully, our science station below would be untouched, this would all be nullified if this medic reached the Corsair.

She leaped toward a golden arch ship. I was fifteen feet away. I jumped into the air as she sat in the pilot seat. Lucky for me she didn't know the controls. Acidic blobs caused the upper structure to collapse above us. The ship remained unscathed.

Then the ship lifted. I gripped the edge of the ship. How did she know how? I checked over my shoulder at a dead pilot. This medic or ghost was cunning and perhaps observant, I'll give her that.

As the ship lifted, the force was too great and I had to let go. I dropped and rolled into a crouch. I spotted a Scout Ship, something I knew how to fly. I ran to the waiting ship.

I leapt twenty feet and landed smoothly in the cockpit. I grabbed the stick and booted up the ship. She wasn't getting away.

**TO BE CONTINUED…**


End file.
